Dissertation Index



Author: Lloyd, Zachary R

Title: From Stereotypes to Nuance: Representations of Male Queerness in Two Musicals by Jeanine Tesori

Institution: Florida State University

Begun: August 2023

Completed: May 2024

Abstract:

When a character enters the stage in a musical, the audience begins to make assumptions about that character based on what they see—their presented gender, race, etc. Once the character begins to act, speak, and sing, the audience learns who that character truly is. What interests me is how aspects of a character’s identity become manifest on the stage.

This dissertation centers on the portrayal of male queerness in two musicals by Jeanine Tesori, Shrek the Musical (2008) and Fun Home (2015). In exploring how the queerness of three characters from these two shows are represented in both material and performance, I construct a narrative that traces Tesori’s works through a spectrum of representations from those that rely on stereotypes to attempt to portray queerness in a more individualized fashion. I begin by examining the character of Lord Farquaad from Shrek the Musical in Chapter Two. I demonstrate how Farquaad relies entirely on visual and sonic stereotypes to present the character as queer, and I employ Conceptual Integration Networks to highlight how it is the interactions between queer elements, such as his costuming, choreography, vocal performance, and lyrics, that code the character as gay. I then turn to Donkey from Shrek the Musical in Chapter Three, noting the extra complexity that arises with his character’s depiction of both queerness and Blackness. I complicate the ways that Donkey’s character uses stereotypes, questioning the methods employed by the creative team to juggle his marked identities effectively. Finally, I examine the character of Bruce Bechdel from Fun Home in Chapter Four, whose representation is far from stereotypical, instead relying on queer markers established within the musical itself. In examining the differences between how similar identities are portrayed in Chapter Five, I reveal a progressive shift in how queerness is represented on stage, moving from a stereotypical depiction used to garner laughs from the audience to a more true-to-life representation that attempts to capture the realities of being queer.

Keywords: Jeanine Tesori, Musical Theater, Fun Home, Shrek the Musical, Maleness in Musicals, Queerness in Musicals, Performance of Identity

TOC:

1.INTRODUCTION - 'Finding a Home'

2."WE'RE GONNA GET A QUEEN!" - THE QUEERING OF LORD FARQUAAD IN SHREK THE MUSICAL (2008)

3.WHAT ABOUT PARFAITS? - THE MULTIFACETED REPRESENTATION OF DONKEY'S BLACKNESS AND QUEERNESS IN SHREK THE MUSICAL (2008)

4.FLYING OR FALLING? - REPRESENTATIONS OF QUEER IDENTITY IN FUN HOME (2015)

5.CONCLUSION


Contact:

zachary.r.lloyd@gmail.com


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